The Winds of Change
by Vera-Sama
Summary: Sequel to my "Yurei" fic. Time passes, and things change. Someone from Yurei's past returns, and Hiei has to deal with a few of his own problems. Please R&R!


Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu, so please don't sue.Um.I like Puu.? Sorry, I tried to get creative. it didn't work. Please enjoy and R&R!  
  
AN: Words to know. Ohayou Gozaimasu - good morning Koishii - Beloved Kami - God Hai - yes Kiseki no Ofuda - rough translation "The charm of miracles" Reikai - spirit world Ursai - shut up Baka - idiot Katana - a large sword Takara - treasure or precious object Gomen nasai - I'm sorry  
  
Aishiteru - I love you Konnichi wa - hello Owari: The End  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Hiei looked out the window. He still had a few hours before dawn. He could be gone long before the girls awoke. He sighed, and wished there was some other way, something that didn't involve hurting Yurei and Yukina.  
  
"Hiei?" A soft voice called from the doorway. Yurei was up early. "Is everything okay?"  
  
"What are you doing up?" He asked, not turning around.  
  
"I could say the same about you." She retorted, slipping her arms around him. "It's early, even for you."  
  
He was mentally kicking himself for hesitating earlier. Now that Yurei was up, things would be a lot harder. He pulled away, and turned to her.  
  
"I'm leaving." He said, his gaze fixed past her at the bare wall. "I don't know how long I'll be."  
  
"Another mission?" She asked, a little concerned. "It's nothing big, right? I mean.-"  
  
"Not a mission." He cut her off. "I'm just going. I can't explain it right now, but."  
  
Her head lower as it hit her. She'd done something, made him unhappy, and now he was leaving.  
  
"I understand." She whispered.  
  
"I hoped you would." He replied. "That makes this a lot easier."  
  
He whispered goodbye, and left. She stood there a moment watching through the window as he disappeared. As he left her sight, she couldn't help it anymore. She collapsed on the ground, her grief overcoming her. That's where Yukina found her hours later, and joined her after she'd heard.  
  
'I'd just found him.' Yukina thought. 'Now he's gone again.'  
  
* * *  
  
Yurei slipped silently out the door. Now Botan and the rest of the gang were there to keep Yukina company.  
  
'She doesn't want me here anymore.' She thought grimly. 'It's my fault she's lost him now.'  
  
She walked a while longer. She wasn't sure where she was going, but it was going to be somewhere she couldn't hurt her friends. It felt like she'd hurt everyone close to her, and she couldn't stand it.  
  
She was walking through a particularly dense forest, and was contemplating turning back when something moved, startling her. She raised her left hand, preparing to freeze whatever it might be. A tall figure in a long black coat stepped out from behind a tree.  
  
"Come now, Yurei, is that any way to treat an old friend?" The figure asked. "I've missed you so much. What, no response?"  
  
Yurei gasped, fear turning her blood colder then the tiny ball of ice that had materialized in her hand.  
  
The figure approached slowly. She wanted to run, but couldn't. As he reached out a pale, skinny hand, she found herself wishing she were dead.  
  
* * *  
  
Hiei looked around. What path to take next? He stopped, and leaned against a nearby tree. His mind refused to let him forget how hurt Yurei looked when he'd left yesterday morning.  
  
'She'll understand.' He tried to reassure himself. 'She of all people ought to be able to understand.'  
  
He couldn't stand the calm that had fallen over his life. He needed to get out and feel like he'd accomplished something.  
  
'I'm no good to anyone,' He decided. 'If I don't feel useful myself.'  
  
His mind went back to Yurei and Yukina. He'd just found both of them, and he felt terrible for leaving, but it was something he needed to do. He sighed, randomly chose a path and continued on his way. Something told him he needed to return, but he couldn't, not until he felt like he could still be everything that was required of him.  
  
* * *  
  
Yurei looked out her window as the morning sun hung barely over the treetops. Her mind went back to her friends, and her brother Shorai. He'd be upset to see that she'd left, but she couldn't risk sticking around. She'd probably hurt him before it was over, and besides, that was too close to Hiei and Yukina's home. Things would've just been too difficult.  
  
There was a soft knock on the door. She didn't have to answer it. The visitor pushed the door open, and entered silently.  
  
"Ohayou gozaimasu, Koishii." He said.  
  
She lowered her head not responding.  
  
"Come now, don't tell me your mind is still on that fire youkai." He said. "He walked out on you after all. If he can so easily move on, you should to."  
  
She turned and looked at him. He was tall, thin and pale with black hair down past his shoulders and eyes that glowed fire red. He used to be handsome, but was now barely skin and bones. He looked as if he would snap in half at the next gust of wind.  
  
"I know, but I made friends." She protested.  
  
"Come now, koishii, they couldn't have been real friends." He said. "You said yourself it was as if they blamed you when he left."  
  
She said nothing. They'd always seemed like wonderful friends, but when it was put that way , he had to be right.  
  
"Do you wish to accompany me for a morning stroll?" He asked, extending one of his arms for her to take.  
  
'It's so nice to feel wanted.' She smiled. 'I should've known you'd be the only one who would want me.'  
  
"I'd love to go for a stroll, Ankoku-sama." She said, taking his arm. They turned and left her bedroom. Her mind went back to Hiei momentarily, and she snorted. If he could so easily forget her, she could easily forget him.  
  
* * *  
  
Hiei mounted a nearby tree, planning to get a relatively good night sleep. He closed his eyes, and tried to imagine what the girls were up to. Yurei was probably cooking dinner, and Shorai would be joking about how terrible her cooking was. Yukina'd be laughing as their insults flew, all in good cheer. He could even picture Botan, Kurama, Yusuke and the Baka showing up. The lines between home life and work life have become so blurred, he wasn't ever surprised at who may show up for dinner.  
  
Then, when it's time to do the dishes, Shorai, Kuwabara and Yusuke would make up some excuse and head outside. Kurama would laugh, and offer to help. Yurei would yell some comment about "A true gentleman" and everyone would laugh. Then, just before they'd leave, Kurama would summon up some exotic type of rose, and compliment the girls.  
  
"You don't give me flowers." Yurei had said once, teasingly.  
  
"I didn't think you were very fond of them." Hiei had replied.  
  
"I'm not." She smiled, and kissed his cheek, "I'm glad you remembered."  
  
He drifted off into a peaceful sleep. He dreamed of the times he'd laid among the branches of a tall oak or spruce with Yurei in his arms. The two of them watching the sunset fade into the millions of beautiful stars.  
  
* * *  
  
Yurei laid her head on the soft pillow. It took her less and less time to fall asleep lately. She closed her eyes and silently thanked kami she'd happened across Ankoku-sama again.  
  
The door opened, and Ankoku slowly crept in.  
  
"Sleeping well, Koishii?" He asked, with a sinister laugh. He waved a hand above her head, and got a sudden rush of all her memories. Once he erased the last ones she had of that dreadful fire youkai and his friends, he'd have her unwavering loyalty, and he could unlock the strength she kept hidden because of her 'compassion'. Everything was going as he'd planned when he cam across a memory that had her brother, as well as Hiei and his friends.  
  
'Oh well,' he decided. 'I'll erase him from her mind as well. Then she'll have no one to distract her from me.'  
  
All he had left was altering a few memories. Making her feel indebted to him increased her loyalty. Before leaving he made one last change, a wicked smile crossing his face as he silently wished her goodnight and departed.  
  
* * *  
  
The next morning, Yurei walked into the large dinning room.  
  
"Did you sleep well, koishii?" Ankoku asked, standing up to greet her.  
  
"Hai." She sat down, and he followed suit. "But I think I had another memory lapse last night. I can't help but feel I've forgotten something."  
  
"It'll be okay, koishii." He assured her, putting his hand on hers.  
  
"I'm lucky to have someone like you." She smiled. "You take such good care of me."  
  
* * *  
  
Hiei walked up the path towards his home. He expected a rather warm welcome from Yukina and Yurei. After, all, three months was a long time, and knowing his sister, she'd been worried sick. He opened the door, and quietly walked in. There was a soft bustle in the kitchen.  
  
'Yukina's cooking. Miso soup.' He thought, a smile crossed his face. 'I missed home cooked meals.'  
  
He walked into the kitchen, and she turned with a start.  
  
"Hiei?" she asked, then leapt to him, grasping him is a tight hug. "I missed you!"  
  
After a moment she pulled away.  
  
"Where's Yurei?" He asked, looking around.  
  
"I hoped she'd met up with you." Yukina replied. "She left the same day you did."  
  
He was a little confused, but, she seemed to take no notice.  
  
"Why don't you go put your stuff up." She suggested. "I'll finish dinner." He went into his room, and sat on the windowsill.  
  
'Why would she leave?' he wondered. 'She knew I'd be coming back.'  
  
He put his face in his hands, and heaved a deep sigh. Then he tried to recall exactly what they'd said to each other the morning he left, his mind searching for any hint she was leaving as well.  
  
'She did seem unhappier then I expected.' He noticed. 'But that still left her no reason to leave.'  
  
He closed his eyes, and removed the headband covering his Jagan eye. He tried to use it to sense her. Maybe he could locate her, and get her back. Unfortunately something was blocking him from her. He tried again, and still found nothing.  
  
He was so preoccupied, he barely heard Yukina call when it was time to eat.  
  
* * *  
  
A shadowy figure crept closer to it's destination; a large set of double doors behind which was a nearly empty room.  
  
"Halt!" An ogre called, and the figure left the shadows. The ogre was dead long before he was able to make another move. The figure broke down the double doors with one swift punch, and quickly retrieved the only thing in the room; a small silver orb.  
  
The figure made a quick exit as the alarm sounded, announcing an intruder, the figure laughed. 'They'll never catch me.'  
  
* * *  
  
Hiei walked silently with his teammates. He wasn't in the mood to clean up after the toddler ruler of Reikai, but he figured they'd be unable to track down the Kiseki no Ofuda without his help.  
  
"So, what does it do again?" Kuwabara asked, breaking the silence.  
  
"It can do many things, but it's main power is immortality." Kurama stated for what seemed like the hundredth time. "Lucky for us there's a long, drawn out process to accessing it's power."  
  
They came across the place where the Kiseki no Ofuda had been tracked, and were surprised to find that it was a rather large house.  
  
"So, do we just bust in?" Yusuke asked, and Kuwabara shrugged.  
  
Hiei suddenly sensed that Yurei was somewhere nearby. He burst down the door, and his teammates followed him in. Their eyes fell upon a long hallway with what appeared to be hundreds of doors.  
  
"This'll take forever!" Kuwabara sighed.  
  
"Ursai, baka." Hiei growled. "It'll be hard enough to find them without you telling them we're here."  
  
"I wouldn't be surprised if they already know." Kurama commented. "You made a lot of noise when you knocked down the front door."  
  
Hiei glared at him, but let it go.  
  
'Anyone but Kurama.' He thought.  
  
They started looking, opening each door, expecting an ambush at any second. As the last door was closed, everyone was beginning to doubt if they'd ever find the Kiseki no Ofuda.  
  
"Hey, guys!" Yusuke called. "I found a door."  
  
He pulled it open, and revealed a large room. There was a large chair positioned against the wall, but other then that the room was empty. Sitting in the chair was a youkai none of them thought they'd be facing again; Ankoku. He was holding the Kiseki no Ofuda, rolling the small silver orb between his palms with a mischievous grin on his pale, boney face. Sitting on one arm of the chair was a female youkai they'd never seen before. She had long white hair with dark purple highlights, eyes that appeared to be black pits, pale skin, and large black bat wings. She was dressed in a dark purple top and black pants with a large katana at her side.  
  
"Wh-what the-?" Kuwabara stammered. "We killed you! I know we did!"  
  
"Correction." Ankoku's smile widened. "You thought you killed me. I was simply biding my time until I could get this takara."  
  
Hiei looked around the empty room. He could sense Yurei stronger then ever, but she was nowhere to be seen.  
  
"We'll be taking that back now." Yusuke said, stepping forward.  
  
"I doubt that." He responded. He now appeared to be on the point of laughter, as if he knew a joke the others weren't in on. "Take care of them for me, won't you, Koishii."  
  
"With pleasure, Ankoku-sama." The female youkai said, in a cold, cruel tone. She stood up and moved to block their path to Ankoku.  
  
"We can't fight her." Kuwabara stated, stepping back. "It's not right to fight with girls."  
  
"Are you all so weak?" Ankoku asked with another laugh. "They'll be not match at all, Koishii."  
  
Kurama summoned his rosewhip, and was about to strike when she raised her left hand and froze it. Kurama dropped it out of sheer shock, and it shattered. Hiei drew his sword, and prepared to face her katana. Yusuke moved to help, but Hiei shot him a look that simply said 'I can handle it.'  
  
The two swords clashed, and a metallic clanking filled the air.  
  
'She's distracted.' Kuwabara realized, an idea forming in his head. 'I can get past her and get the Kiseki no Ofuda.'  
  
"Don't try it." She growled, her left hand shooting out again, this time to shoot ice daggers at Kuwabara. She grazed him a few times, but didn't do any serious damage.  
  
She caught her opponent off guard momentarily, and was able to knock his weapon out of his hand. She caught it and promptly snapped the blade into pieces.  
  
"I was hoping it wouldn't come to this." Hiei said, leaping into the air. "I'm a little rusty, but.Fist Of The Mortal Flame!"  
  
His fist suddenly became engulfed in pure black energy, and she realized she couldn't run in time. Hiei came down hard, and got a direct hit over the heart.  
  
"Koishii!" Ankoku yelled, forgetting the small orb in his hands. He nearly dropped it, but Yusuke slid in and caught it just in time.  
  
Hiei stood triumphantly over his opponent, but gasped as she started to change. He wings shrunk, and changed from black to a pale blue.  
  
"It can't be." He gasped as her hair lost it's purple highlights.  
  
Hiei knelt beside her, and Ankoku dropped to the other side.  
  
"H-Hiei?" She asked, in the soft tone he'd grown accustom to. Her eyes returned to their former shade of midnight blue. She turned and looked to her other side. "Ankoku?" She slowly rose her right hand. "I'll protect my loved ones, no matter what." With that flames shot towards Ankoku. His agonizing screams alerted everyone he would not come back again.  
  
"What have I done?" Hiei stammered. "I should have known. I-"  
  
"Shhh." She whispered, a soft smile on her face. "Gomen nasai. Aishiteru."  
  
She closed her eyes and let the impending darkness claim her.  
  
* * *  
  
Hiei sat in the windowsill absently watching a bird build a nest in a nearby tree. Shorai emerged from a nearby room, and walked over to him.  
  
"How ya holding up?" he asked, and Hiei lowered his head.  
  
"It's all my fault." He said, not daring to face her brother. He might find a similarity and lose it. "I should've figured out what was going on. I could sense her so close, but I couldn't pin point it."  
  
"Don't beat yourself up over it." Shorai said, leaning against a nearby wall. "I don't blame you, and I'm pretty sure she didn't."  
  
The two sat there in silence for a while, both lost in their own thoughts. Shorai walked out silently and Hiei sighed, but never looked away from the window.  
  
"Hiei.?" Yukina called softly from the door a while later. "You need to eat something."  
  
'What does it matter?' he wondered to himself as he stood up and followed his sister out the door.  
  
He absently ate dinner, and went off to his room, under Yukina's orders, to 'get some sleep.' He sat on his usual windowsill, and watched the full moon rise over the treetops.  
  
He sensed that Yukina was fast asleep in her room, and he shook his head.  
  
'She tries to remain so cheerful around me.' He thought. 'I don't deserve her.'  
  
A sudden bright light filled the dark room, and Hiei shielded his eyes. The light faded and he let out a startled gasp. There, in front of him, was Yurei in a long white gown.  
  
"Konnichi wa." She said, a soft smile on her face.  
  
"Yurei?" He asked, standing up. "Is it really you?"  
  
She nodded. "I want you to stop blaming yourself for what happened." She said. "I don't blame you."  
  
"But I-" He started, but was cut off.  
  
"I told you I don't blame you." She said again, moving closer. He was about to protest again when she silenced him with a kiss.  
  
'Wow.' He thought. 'Can ghosts do that?'  
  
Suddenly Botan appeared out of nowhere, floating on the ore. Hiei frowned.  
  
"I guess you're here to take her off." Hiei said, the happiness he'd felt now leaving.  
  
"Um, no." Botan said in her still cheerful tone. "I was just going to make sure she made it back okay."  
  
Hiei was slightly puzzled.  
  
"Wait, you though." Yurei had a sudden realization, and tried not to laugh. "I'm not a ghost. Koenma used the Kiseki no Ofuda to bring me back."  
  
"You mean." He trailed of and hugged her.  
  
Botan smiled and quietly made her exit.  
  
"I thought I'd lost you." Hiei sighed, hugging her again.  
  
"I'd never leave you like that." She smiled, and closed her eyes.  
  
* * *  
  
Yusuke sighed as he looked around trying to remember what path to take. He was heading to Hiei's house with Kuwabara, Kurama, Botan and Koenma.  
  
"Hey guys," He said after a moment. "What do you think the surprise is gonna be?"  
  
"I don't know." Kurama admitted. "But Hiei seemed very excited about it."  
  
"It was rather odd hearing from him after so long." Botan added.  
  
Yukina met them at the door, and ushered them inside. She was in such a hurry, she almost pushed. Hiei was standing in the center of the room, with his usual solemn look.  
  
"You're late." He said, frowning slightly.  
  
"Sorry, but you do live in the middle of a forest." Yusuke retorted. "And it's been at least five years since we've had to make this little hike."  
  
"Are they here yet?" Yurei called from anther room.  
  
"Just got here." He called back.  
  
At first the visitors thought they'd caught her in the middle of doing laundry because she entered carrying a small bundle.  
  
Her grin widened as she moved closer and moved part of the blanket to reveal a small baby girl with a full head of black hair and midnight blue eyes.  
  
"Her name is Honou." She smiled as the group fussed over the cooing bundle.  
  
"Shouldn't let Kuwabara get too close." Yusuke joked. "He might breathe some of his ugly germs on her."  
  
"Watch it Urameshi." Kuwabara growled, and everyone laughed.  
  
"I'm a little hurt, ya know." Botan stated. "I'd loved to have known sooner you two'd had a baby!"  
  
"I think she looks like you, Yurei." Kurama noted.  
  
"I'd pity the kid if it looked like the shrimp." Kuwabara added with a laugh.  
  
Hiei glared darts at him, and growled softly.  
  
"Kazuma-kun." Yukina scolded. "Try and be nice around the baby."  
  
"Sorry, Yukina, my love." He apologized.  
  
Koenma hovered near the bundle.  
  
"I don't see the big deal." He said. "I'm a baby, and no one fusses over me."  
  
Everyone laughed, and went back to fussing over the small bundle.  
  
Yurei looked from the small baby in her arms to Hiei and couldn't help but smile.  
  
'I couldn't ask for more.' She thought. 'I've got all I'll ever need right here.'  
  
OWARI.  
  
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AN: Okay, that was my sequel, what did you think? Be nice.I've never written a sequel before.Okay, I guess that's it. Please review! 


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